Let Fate Decide
by Kyizi
Summary: Set after the SEASON 3 FINALE. The crew each have their own journeys, but will events keep them apart or bring them together? (J/A) (trying not to spoil anyone here!)
1. Part 1: John

**_Let Fate Decide_**

**Part 1 **

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**_By Kyizi_**

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**_Disclaimer:__  They belong to a man and a bunch of writers that are determined to leave me in fits of tears at the end of each series…they haven't failed yet! The only thing that belongs to me is the story and a few minor characters._**

**_Rating:__ 12, I guess._**

**_Spoilers:__ To be safe I'd say that every ep in S1, S2 and S3 would be in danger of being spoiled in this fic! Nothing is safe I tell you, nothing!_**

**_Notes:__ Okay, that's me just caught up on all the episodes of S3 which I have had on tape for a few weeks (can I just say OHMYGOD!), and, as with the S2 finale, I wasn't going to be happy until I'd written a continuation of the season finale! I've skipped ahead a few months, but anything you need to know was in the last ep, all I've done is take them a little further on their "missions" so to speak._**

_This fic will focus on John's POV more than the others but I will be using every crew member…except Crais *sob* ;)_

**_Feedback:__ As always, I love feedback. This fic is a particular favourite of mine, so be gentle! If you have some constructive criticism, I'd like to hear it, and if you enjoy it, don't hesitate to let me know!_**

**_Email:__ kyizi@hotmail.com_**

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

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**_John_**

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_~x~x~x~x~x~_

A baby. Aeryn was having a baby. His baby. He was going to be a father, but he wouldn't be there. Aeryn had taken that chance away from him. She had left him, taken his child, and gone. They had left fate to decide and it had taken the love of his life and his child away from him. Why? Why would it do that? Why would Aeryn let it? She was having his baby.

John wandered through the streets, glancing occasionally at the passing aliens. He had been thinking of people as aliens a lot over the past few months. He had been watching them and he could not see them as anything else. Would not see them as anything else. Only an alien world, an alien life could take Aeryn and their baby away from him. At first he had blamed her. He wished he had never had those feelings but he couldn't help it. She had left him. She had to have known about the child; she had to. And she'd taken away his chance at being a father. 

Sure, he realised that he may not have been the one she created the child with, but that child was his. If those few weeks on Talyn had been his, then so would the child. But that John _was him, a few weeks didn't change that. Couldn't change that. He was going to be a father and this alien universe had taken it from him._

Turning the corner, he spotted what he was looking for. He took a deep breath and moved his head from side to side, clicking his neck. Squaring up his shoulders, he walked slowly down the street. It was like any other that he had been in over the last few months. Nothing seemed different, from the numerous stalls right down to the toothless old alien on the corner, grinning eerily at the passers-by, ready to steal one away and take them into the seedy underworld of whatever planet he was on. He had learned to ignore it. He walked straight towards the seedy bar and entered.

The dim lighting had not changed much and he felt himself shudder at the knowledge of what he was doing, the memories all assaulting him at the same time. He had held her in his arms in this place, had watched her changing before him, praying that she would live to be in his arms again. He shook away the memories with a jerk of his head and walked up to the bar. 

"Hey," he said, smiling sadly at the woman. She recognised him instantly and her eyes widened. She looked different, as if this was the way she was supposed to be, the way she was meant to look, she was at peace with herself. 

_And she may want to stay that way, did you ever think of that? John refused to listen to him. Harvey seemed to take increasing pleasure in annoying him, using the wound that Aeryn's absence had created as an open injury. The thing that annoyed him the most was that Harvey was simply becoming the voice in his head that told him the truth. The little voice that had always been there, but he had refused to listen to. It was the voice that told you that you were ugly, that no one liked you…and often the voice that told you what you knew was true. Well, now Harvey had taken that roll in his head, and John knew it._

_Go away, Harvey, she'll help. _

_If you say so, Crichton. But just think what it might do to her, to bring back those memories you're asking her to find. Ask yourself if you can live with ruining her peace of mind, just so that you can find yours. With a 'pop' Harvey was gone. He'd have to ask how the clone had managed to come up with that._

"You have returned." 

John looked back at the woman, shaking his thoughts away. He smiled at her, although he knew it would never reach his eyes. That happiness was gone. That happiness was with Aeryn and the baby. As if sensing that his thoughts were troubled and he had something important to say, the woman nodded her head to the doorway behind him and he readily followed.

Upon entering the room, John noticed the changes immediately. He had entered her home and it was so completely different from the last time he had been there. The room was brightly decorated, a dark pink colouring the walls, basking the room in a cheery glow. There was a small curve in the wall, that John realised was a fireplace of sorts. The woman flicked a switch and a deep orange glow erupted from the small circular object at the centre of it. 

The rest of the room was sparsely filled, only some chairs and a table near the fire. There was a small kitchen at the opposite end of the room and an open doorway to a small bedroom. In the far corner, in another small room, he spotted his reason for being here, his reason for being of late. His only goal had been to get here, to find her. And he had.

She offered him a seat on one of the comfortable chairs and he sat down on the end of it, as if refusing to get comfortable would make this easier, would make him more at ease with himself for asking her to do it. He was sure that, although the room was there, she no longer used her equipment for the same reason that she used to…for the same reason that he was about to ask her to use it for.

"I need your help."

"I know." The woman nodded her head. She had followed his gaze, had watched his eyes drinking up the vision before them and she had known. In the pit of her stomach she had felt it, had known that her past was rearing its ugly head, and all she wanted to do was shoot it. However, this man had helped her get her life back, to make her life better, she owed him her help, regardless of what it meant to her. She would help him…and he knew it.

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

John groaned and looked across the room. This wasn't going the way he had hoped, this wasn't happening the way he wanted it to. It was all taking too long and he wasn't sure how much longer he could stand this. Aeryn would be over 3 months pregnant by now. He smiled at that thought. He could imagine her grumping and groaning about her morning sickness…if she was getting morning sickness, and cravings and…

He sighed. Human pregnancies were bad enough (so he'd heard) but a half human, half sebecean pregnancy? He had no idea what it would be like. And neither had Aeryn when she had left. She was facing something completely new and she was all alone. He should be finding out about whether or not she had morning sickness, cravings, mood swings…he should be there now, helping her, being her punching bag. 

_Knowing Aeryn, that'd be a literal punching bag_, he laughed at the thought but quickly sobered. He was not with her. Instead he was here. He was spending all his time trying to find her. Wondering how she was, wondering if she was alone, happy, scared…alive.

He shook his thoughts away, she was alive and he would find her. It was the only way he could get through the day, the only way he could live with himself. He was as alone as she was, and he was fine. If there was one thing that he could always be sure of with Aeryn, it was her strength. She was a lot stronger than he was and there was no way that she would be anything but alive and healthy. Just like the baby she was protecting. Their baby.  
  
With that new thought in mind and a stronger determination, he jumped down from the table he was perched on. He walked across the room towards her and peered over her shoulder at the vial she held in her hands. He had no idea what to expect, no idea what on earth she was doing. But he did know what she had in the vial. It was Aeryn's blood. The same blood that Nam'Tar had taken when he was experimenting on Aeryn with Pilot's DNA. And it was that which would save him. It was with this that he would find her again.

"Crichton, I am unsure as to what you intend to gain by watching me over my shoulder."

"Nothin'. I'm just keeping myself out of trouble, Kornata."

"Then would you kindly keep yourself out of trouble elsewhere? I am trying to help you, but it will be difficult to do so if you insist on watching me."

He smirked, "Right, gotcha. I'm just gonna go stretch my legs then. I'll be back later."

"As you wish." She replied and turned her head back to her work.

Laughing as his thoughts wandered to giants and sword fighting, John wandered out of the house and into the adjoining bar. He waved a hello at Neera, the young woman tending bar since Kornata had begun to help him, and headed to the door, all the time unaware that he was being watched.

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

END PART 1

_Well? Please let me know what you think. I already have the entire story planned out, and the next two parts are written, but I'd still appreciate some feedback on how you like the fic :)_


	2. Part 2: D'Argo

**_Let Fate Decide_**

Part 2 

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**_By Kyizi_**

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**_Disclaimer:__  They belong to a man and a bunch of writers that are determined to leave me in fits of tears at the end of each series…they haven't failed yet! The only thing that belongs to me is the story and a few minor characters._**

**_Rating:__ 12, I guess._**

**_Spoilers:__ To be safe I'd say that every ep in S1, S2 and S3 would be in danger of being spoiled in this fic! Nothing is safe I tell you, nothing!_**

**_Notes:__ Okay, that's me just caught up on all the episodes of S3 which I have had on tape for a few weeks (can I just say OHMYGOD!), and, as with the S2 finale, I wasn't going to be happy until I'd written a continuation of the season finale! I've skipped ahead a few months, but anything you need to know was in the last ep, all I've done is take them a little further on their "missions" so to speak._**

**_Feedback:__ As always, I love feedback. This fic is a particular favourite of mine, so be gentle! If you have some constructive criticism, I'd like to hear it, and if you enjoy it, don't hesitate to let me know!_**

**_Email:__ kyizi@hotmail.com_**

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

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**_D'Argo_**

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_~x~x~x~x~x~_

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The sky faded into a dull pink and slowly merged with the fire of the fading sun. The land was peaceful, for what little there was of it. Each small settlement was sectioned off from the others, its own little life neatly divided into symmetrical blocks of harboured life. It held no joy within its cobbled streets and only hidden joy within the walls. The world was full of life and yet more desolate that a barren wasteland.

D'Argo growled and narrowed his eyes. This wasn't exactly the way he had hoped things would go. He had hoped to be done with everything by now, done and back on Moya…wherever the frell she was. It seemed almost amusing that the ship he had spent the last three years on, desperately trying to find some semblance of home, was the home he now was desperate to return to. The irony was not lost on him, although his patience was getting thinner by the second. The image of this moment that he had held in his mind until this point had been so vivid that any deviance from it was simply un-thought of. Everything rested on Macton dying, everything rested on that man paying for what he had done to Lo'Lann, his own sister…D'Argo's wife. 

D'Argo closed his eyes as memories filled the darkness beyond sight. That day was etched into his mind, a bitter and twisted version of reality that was so painful it could only be real. His final image of his wife was pain, he could not rid himself of the sight. He wanted so much to remember her as the laughing woman that had carried his child, had loved and cherished them until her dying day. But those images were tainted by blood, covered in scars that would not heal. 

Reaching into his chest, he pulled the image free, hoping that if she was before him, if she was there, then perhaps he could forget the death, perhaps for just a moment. The holographic image was a harsh and beautiful thing. It allowed him to see her, but he could not touch her, or hear her laugh, or hold her…he could never simply be hers.

Closing the image and returning it to his chest, he grunted aloud as if the action would make him focus. The house he was in still smelled of Sebecean's but he knew that it had not yet been deemed safe for anyone to return to live there. He was secure in his hiding, for now. He stared through the darkened window to the house across the street as he clutched at the small chip he had pulled into his hand. Scorpius had given it to him and D'Argo was very reluctant to be thankful to the man. True to his word, Macton had been precisely where the chip had said, everything was as the chip had said. Everything except one thing. Macton had a family.

His eyes travelled over the scene before him, taking in every detail. There was nothing special about this house compared to any other on the street. It was the street and the people in it that in themselves were special. They were all ex-soldiers and yet here they were. D'Argo had not thought it could be possible, he hadn't wanted it to be so. He had not thought it would be so easy to believe. But it was so difficult not to. She was Lo'Lann.

The little girl had been running through the trees in her yard, screeching as she chased a small furry animal that D'Argo recognised as an Y'lip. It was a Sebecean pet, often given to children of about her age. Jothee had had one. A small green one named Jinky. D'Argo laughed as he remembered the small creature prowling about the yard after Jothee. The idea of the creature was to establish an instinct in the child to chase something and never give up until it was within ones grasp. Something that had obviously worked wonders with the Peacekeepers D'Argo and his friends had been in contact with. The only problem with Jothee was that he'd been terrified of the small creature; claiming it wanted to suck his blood and eat him, therefore it had always ended up with Jinky chasing Jothee.

The image of his son as a child again made him forget what had happened when he had finally found him. D'Argo knew that he had put pressure on Jothee, wanted him to be perfect. But what Jothee hadn't seen was that being himself was enough to be perfect in his father's eyes. Of course sleeping with the woman that D'Argo had hoped to be his future mother in law hadn't helped matters. He missed him, missed the knowledge that he was nearby and safe. He would find his son again, that was one thing that D'Argo was certain of. He wouldn't allow anything else.

A scream alerted D'Argo to look back at the house. The girl had fallen and her foot was caught in the roots of an overgrown tree. He had to fight his instinct to go over to the girl, to pick her up and tell her that everything would be all right, that he would look after her. The door opened and as the man stepped out, D'Argo could not help the growl that escaped. Macton walked over to the girl and stood before her, looking exactly as D'Argo remembered. Anger bubbled within him, every fibre in his being was screaming that he take revenge, that he pull out his Qualta Blade and end this now.

"Get up." 

D'Argo frowned, watching the man stand before his daughter. Macton made no move to help the girl, instead he watched over her, looked down on her as she tried to free her foot. It was a wonder to D'Argo that any civilian woman, Sebecean or not, would want to be with this man, want to raise his children. He wondered if she knew she was an assignment. He wondered if any of them knew how _special they were meant to be._

He had read over the files, read them more times than he could remember. He knew them off by heart. The Peacekeeper's new wonderful idea was brought to light before his eyes, their new way to raise an army was painfully burned into his memory. It seemed that High Command had never been so sure that they would win this war with the Scarran's and had taken measures to 'boost' their numbers. Many hundreds of soldiers were assigned to marry civilians. To raise as many children as they could, train them as best they could, train them to kill, to hunt, to die in this war before the Scarrons killed them all.

"I said get up, Iy'Lann."

D'Argo felt his hatred bubble further. Macton had obviously taken his training seriously, he seemed be to treating the little girl just like the assignment she was. Iy'Lann, for her part, seemed to be resigned that she would not let her father down, that she would never let him down. She struggled with her foot until D'Argo could smell the blood assaulting his senses even from across the street. She was shredding the skin of her ankle in her attempt to free herself. She was crying now, not with noise, only tears but D'Argo watched her. He watched this miniature version of his wife harming herself just so that her father would be proud.

Just as he was about to step forward, anger getting the best of him, Iy'Lann freed herself from the root, falling backwards with the force as she did. She seemed to be smiling, happy with herself. She was free. She stared up at her father, as if expecting an ounce of praise but it never came.

"Right, go inside and clean up. We have early lessons tomorrow morning, I want you in bed."

"Yes, sir." The girl limped into the house looking dejected. Her small shoulders were now shaking with sobs but she still refused to make a sound. When she was gone, D'Argo moved for his blade, Macton may have a wife and children but from the way D'Argo had seen him treat them he did not have a family.

He pulled his blade up to shoulder length, and took aim, closing one eye, the effect seeming to magnify everything he was looking at and he paused. Macton looked proud. He looked proud of his little girl, he looked like a father. As if realising what he was doing, Macton straightened up and looked edgily at the street around him, as if checking to see if anyone had seen him, not realising that someone had. he smiled at himself again and looked back at his house, looking over it with a warm glow, as if he truly loved it and everyone in it.

It was then that D'Argo realised why Iy'Lann had expected her father's help. He realised that, had they not been out on the street in view of people, he probably would have helped her. Macton loved his family more than his assignment and D'Argo could not do it. He would not kill this father. He would not deprive another child of a family, he wouldn't deprive his _niece of her family, of her father regardless of Macton's injury to his._

D'Argo sighed, feeling as if his revenge was lost. Lo'Lann may have been gone, but she lived on in that little girl and D'Argo would not stop that. Regardless of Macton's twisted reasons, D'Argo knew he had loved his sister, it was her choices that he had disliked; it was D'Argo that he had loathed. Still feeling confused, D'Argo sat in his chair, thinking of the little girl he had seen and thinking of the Macton he had seen. This had been a different man and D'Argo would not harm him, no matter how much he wanted to.

Sighing, D'Argo closed his eyes, remembering a time when he had been happy, when he had had a family. As he slipped into a dream of Lo'Lann, he made himself a silent promise to the little girl that he would keep her safe, even if that meant keeping her father alive. As the night slipped into the sky, D'Argo dreamed on, unaware that his had not been the only eyes watching Macton that day.

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

END PART 2 

_Feedback is always appreciated :)_


	3. Part 3: John

**_Let Fate Decide_**

Part 3 

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**_By Kyizi_**

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**_Disclaimer:__  They belong to a man and a bunch of writers that are determined to leave me in fits of tears at the end of each series…they haven't failed yet! The only thing that belongs to me is the story and a few minor characters._**

**_Rating:__ 12, I guess._**

**_Spoilers:__ To be safe I'd say that every ep in S1, S2 and S3 would be in danger of being spoiled in this fic! Nothing is safe I tell you, nothing!_**

**_Notes:__ Okay, that's me just caught up on all the episodes of S3 which I have had on tape for a few weeks (can I just say OHMYGOD!), and, as with the S2 finale, I wasn't going to be happy until I'd written a continuation of the season finale! I've skipped ahead a few months, but anything you need to know was in the last ep, all I've done is take them a little further on their "missions" so to speak_**

_. _

**_Note regarding Pt3: __Thanks for the reviews :) _****Tick Tock, just a wee note, I never do anything without a reason… :) I'm glad you brought it up, has helped me think of how to tackle that particular area when I do.**

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**_Feedback:__ As always, I love feedback. This fic is a particular favourite of mine, so be gentle! If you have some constructive criticism, I'd like to hear it, and if you enjoy it, don't hesitate to let me know!_**

**_Email:__ kyizi@hotmail.com_**

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

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**_John_**

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_~x~x~x~x~x~_

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John stared at the map before him. There were millions upon millions of intersecting lines of various different colours, and they were all weaving before him. They were all expanding and turning with every second, making it impossible for him to keep track of any one line. His sight began to blur and he shook his head, clearing him of the double vision. It was bad enough seeing this once.

Sighing, he turned to Kornata who was looking at him with hope etched into her face. She was smiling at him wide eyed and he couldn't help but smile back. She had worked day and night for him, had been working non-stop for him. If she was honest with herself, John was sure she'd find that the main reason for this wasn't a dept that she felt she owed him. No, it was the thrill of learning again. The thrill of using all her knowledge to further her scientific progress, a progress that she had stalled a few years back and never returned to. She knew what she had been doing was wrong, but still she surrounded herself with the same thing day and night. She lived behind the bar, owned it, worked in it, kept all her equipment. She even had Nam'tar, locked in a cage at the back of the room, just as the knowledge of what she had done was locked in the back of her memory.

"Well?" she asked, almost tentatively, like a child asking her favourite teacher if she liked her story. 

"It's great." John smiled, "Eh, what is it?"

Kornata grinned and walked towards him, looking at the map. Preparing his eyes, John turned also, the twisting lines almost immediately starting his headache again. Kornata reached out and touched one of the lines, automatically turning it bright yellow, a contrast to all the other darker coloured lines. She followed the line with her finger tracing it to the point where it continued to grow, watching the small movements with interest.

"It is a locator." She said softly. "All the species I have come into contact with are here, each of their lives are mapped out before us."

"But how?" he asked awed.

"If I am honest, I do not completely know. It was an idea created by Nam'tar. He really did know how you get you all home, those maps he gave you were genuine, save for the virus he injected the crystals with. The only way for me to understand this would be for me to follow his path, to do as he did. That is not a road I am willing to take."

"I wouldn't ask you to."

She smiled, "I know. My only knowledge is how to add to it."

John smiled, unable to word just how grateful he was to her. She was bringing Aeryn and their baby back to him. She was giving him his world and no words could tell her how much that meant to him. She seemed to know what he was thinking as she stepped towards him and pulled him into a tight hug. When she stepped back, she indicated the device, letting him know it was ready.

"How will I locate Aeryn?" he asked, turning to face the image once more.

"You activate her life line, and follow it wherever it may lead you."

"But how will I know which line is hers?"

Kornata smiled, "Clear your mind, reach out, and you will know. But I warn you now," she said, a frown coming to her features, "The DNA I had was mixed, Aeryn's line will be split in two unless her path is as the creature she was merged with."

"It isn't." John said sadly, "We're all split apart. Each of us went our own way, but I have to find her. I have to."

"She means as much to you now as she did then, I see."

"More. More than I ever thought possible."

"Then you will find her. If it is meant to be, you will find each other."

"Let fate decide." he said softly, repeating the words that had haunted him for the last few months. Reaching out to the device he watched the holographic image carefully, watched each of the lines as they wove about each other, diving in and out in a symphony of colour, winding through each other. 

"Do I take this with me? Or do I have to memorise what I can?"

Kornata smiled, "I have no use for this, you may take it with you." She pressed a small button on the device and handed it to him. It was the same size as a coin, he decided, so small he could keep it in his pocket, but so much more precious if he were to lose it. He flipped it over in his hand, one side was sloped slightly, coming to a point in the middle where the holographic image rose.

_Let fate decide, John. Harvey interrupted, causing him to groan out loud, __isn't that what Aeryn wanted, to let fate decide? Didn't she want to get away from you for a while? _

_Get frelled, Harvey, this has nothing to do with you. Nothing at all._

Closing his mind off to the annoying clone, John stared again at the device and placed it on the table. Pressing the button, the image curved up around him, the mist of light surrounding him with planets and stars and an incomprehensible weaving of lines. John decided there couldn't be more than about fifty of them. All starting from various points in the map, some he could see, others weren't in this particular area of the map. He could summon the start of each line by selecting it and the map would travel to any point in the line he desired. 

_You could get home with this, John. Harvey supplied, popping out of nowhere in black and white, wearing a long black robe and pointy hat._

_My home is with Aeryn and the baby. Wherever she is, that's where I have to be._

_You seem so sure._

_I am._

_Well, don't say I didn't warn you. Harvey cackled and John sighed, creating a tornado in his mind, feeling somewhat refreshed watching Harvey fly through it on a bicycle, only to have a house land on him. Reaching out to the image, he cleared his mind and closed his eyes. He wandered a little to his left, breathing deeply in and out and without realising he had done anything, he opened his eyes. _

Before him there was a bright yellow line, for a while it stayed on the same path, a difficult path, John remembered. It broke apart in places and joined together in others. John followed the path back as far as he could until it split apart. He followed both lines, each leading to planets quite close, he decided, as far as galactic standards went. One of these was Aeryn's home planet, one was Pilot's. He was sure he could determine which if he thought about it, or asked someone, but that wasn't his purpose. 

He tracked the lines back to the centre of the initial image, to the last point where they were joined and he stopped. Both of the paths diverged. Not at an extremely obtuse angle, but a large enough one that it made a difference which to follow. He would be unable to tell, he had to choose, one way or another.

Pulling a small object he looked at it, unsure whether or not he could trust it to give him the answer he wanted. The toss of this had been the same fate that had led him away from Aeryn the last time…would it do the same again? Resigning himself to fate, once more, he tossed it and caught it in his hand. 

"Path b it is then," he said softly to himself. He reached a hand out to the yellow line, following it to a point in space and sighed. "Okay, Dorothy, time to follow the yellow brick road."

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

END PART 3 

_I'll be introducing the characters bit by bit, and each chapter will follow a different one. It may sound confusing, but hopefully it'll be okay! The next chapter is my fave so far, so look forward to it!_


	4. Part 4: Chiana

**_Let Fate Decide_**

Part 4 

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**_By Kyizi_**

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**_Disclaimer:__  They belong to a man and a bunch of writers that are determined to leave me in fits of tears at the end of each series…they haven't failed yet! The only thing that belongs to me is the story and a few minor characters._**

**_Rating:__ 12, I guess._**

**_Spoilers:__ To be safe I'd say that every ep in S1, S2 and S3 would be in danger of being spoiled in this fic! Nothing is safe I tell you, nothing!_**

**_Notes:__ This is a continuation of the season finale. I've skipped ahead a few months, but anything you need to know was in the last ep, all I've done is take them a little further on their "missions" so to speak._**

**_Feedback:__ As always, I love feedback. This fic is a particular favourite of mine, so be gentle! If you have some constructive criticism, I'd like to hear it, and if you enjoy it, don't hesitate to let me know!_**

**_Email:__ kyizi@hotmail.com_**

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

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**_Chiana_**

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_~x~x~x~x~x~_

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She pulled herself further into the wall, trying hard to control her breathing. She knew that if they heard her gasping for air then she wouldn't need that ability for much longer. The tapping of their guns ticked its way into her mind, an almost silent echo of death determined to engulf her. They were so close now, almost within reach. If they turned into the corner, they'd almost be standing on top of her. They began to turn.

She'd thought living on Moya was bad enough. As much as she'd loved her life there, the running and hiding, always being chased had slowly worked its way into her. She didn't want that kind of life for herself, and yet here she was, even worse off and all alone in the process. She sighed, wishing that D'Argo were here, he'd beat the crap out of them, as John would say. John, she wished he were here, cracking some stupid joke that she was sure would be funny if it actually made any sense. But she was alone. Her "quest" had led her away from her friends. 

A noise above her caused her to jerk. They were standing above her, looking down into the deserted land below. She fought harder to control her breathing as she prayed they wouldn't find the little nook she was crouched in. They were taking so long, why were they taking so long? She could feel herself beginning to tremble, her hands shaking in time with her erratic breathing, her eyes fluttering as another vision wracked through her senses. 

It was all so real, all so tangible that she may as well be living it. If it weren't for the slight and sudden change in surroundings she knew she could mistake it for real. The smell of weapons fire assaulted her nose, watered at her eyes as she forced herself to lie still, forced herself to lay among the dead and decaying bodies as if she were one of them, nothing but a rotting carcass on a sleazy, scum ridden planet. Feet running, screaming to get away, the back of a small head, a broken pair of oculars, a child's toy, a face, staring at her with frantic eyes…Everything blurred, then returned with a painful clarity. A slight twitch in a nearby hand caused her to jump and that was her down fall, it all ended there.

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

After what seemed like an eternity, they left, followed some filthy path back towards the city's protective bubble. With great difficulty, she managed to pull herself back up onto the cliff edge, taking a moment to look down at the barren wasteland before her. It amazed her that these people could live like this. Fuel was a thing they were severely lacking in, and yet they still owned space ships, floating cars and heated their homes. Their world was desolate and destroyed and yet they continued. Shaking her head in disgust she headed back towards the city, hoping to get back to the passenger craft before it left without her. She had little money, but she did have a little persuasion in her.

Grinning to herself, she headed down the same path as she had come, hoping that the patrollers would have searched it thoroughly enough to have taken a different route home. Tilting her head from side to side, worrying the muscles in her neck, she began to think of her vision of the future. Usually they were warnings of an immediate event, but this one had had a different feel to it. She had felt as if it were nothing more than a warning to tuck away and save for future reference

"Yeah," she muttered dryly to herself, "like don't move when you're playing dead." 

As she neared the city, she slowed her pace, the fact that she had had no contact with anyone yet, unnerving her a little. The usual hustle and bustle of the city was still there, a gentle roar in the distance, but still she felt on edge…as if she were being…

"Hey,"

Jumping up, she bit back a squeal, instead giving her bottom lip the brunt of the force. Cursing as the blood began to drip, she eyed the man suspiciously, "Who are you and what do you want?" she asked, sounding a lot braver than she felt. 

The man gave her a lopsided smiled and shook his head, "He said you'd still be like this."

"Who said what?" She asked, instantly going on the offensive, "What makes you think you know me?"

"Aw, Chi, I'm upset. Don't you recognise your old friend?"

Chiana narrowed her eyes and stared at him. His hair was darker than hers, a messy mop on top of his scratched head. His looked old, but more by the number of scars it had accumulated. Not deep cuts, more like small lines that had worried their way into the fabric of his skin. It was like a patchwork of pain, one that made you believe he was old, because no one was meant to withstand whatever he had in a short lifetime, no one young was meant to feel that much pain. But it was his eyes that grabbed her attention more than anything. He was a good deal taller than her so she had to look up, but she could still see the playful glint sparkling there. It was him.

"N'day?" 

~x~x~x~x~x~

She settled back into the rough chair, thankful for the glass of water that was handed her. She smiled a little and turned to face the door. She could hear his voice in the hall and she found herself more than a little excited by the prospect of his company again after so long a time. There was a giggle to her left and she turned to the young woman that had given her the water. After a moment of staring she smiled, her eyes widening in shock.

"Jaida?"

"What took you so long?" The girl asked, readily receiving Chiana's sudden hug. "You know I walked past you three times on your way through and not once did you take any notice of anything but N'day. Some things never change, huh?"

"Hey!" Chiana sat down again, pulling her friend with her. "So," she started, quickly changing the subject, "where have you been?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Last we heard, you were taken to be cleansed. We heard roumer of your escape but nothing concrete. We thought you were dead." She finished softly.

"And I thought you were all lost to me forever."

"Well, you've certainly changed," Jaida stated with a smirk, "the Chiana I knew was too busy chasing after a certain friend of hers that she never spoke of silly things like the important stuff."

Chiana ducked her head a little, but smiled, "Yeah, well things change." She looked back at Jaida and frowned, "You still haven't told me what you're doing here. What you're all doing here."

"That's because I asked her not to." Turning to the door, she saw N'day standing against the doorframe. He was leaning against it and staring at her, all the earlier mirth lost from his eyes. He moved into the room and sat opposite them before continuing. "What are you doing here, Chiana? Our spies saw you coming a galaxy away. You were leading the authorities right to us, what on earth did you think you were doing?"

"Hey, look here N'day," she said standing, "I wasn't looking for you, any of you. I'm not gonna say I'm not glad to see you, cause I am, but I'm looking for Nerri. That's all. I want to help him."

"Then you should have stayed away, Chiana. You've endangered us all."

"What have I done wrong? All I want to do is find my brother and help my people, is that so hard to believe."

"Frankly, Chiana, yes it is." 

Chiana opened her mouth but nothing would come out. After a moment she nodded and headed towards the door. N'day sighed as Jaida glared at him. Rubbing his eyes, he spoke, "Sit down, Chiana." When there was no reply, he turned only to find the room behind him empty.

"Wonderful, N'day, really, I mean it. You handled this perfectly."

Turning to glare at Jaida, he stood and left the room, hoping only that he could find Chiana and fix things. Before she did something stupid.

~x~x~x~x~x~

Chiana didn't stop. She walked straight back the way she had come, ignoring the greeting nods of the passers-by. She wasn't in the mood for anyone, she wasn't even in the mood to be with herself. Had she really endangered them? Just by looking for her brother? She had been so careful, made sure that she was doing this the right way. But had she really?

Wracking her brain she tried to think back, tried to remember her journey to this point in time and she realised just how stupid she had been. She had named names, mentioned places and times and most of all, she hadn't covered her tracks properly. N'day was right, she had placed them all in danger. 

By now she had come to the conclusion, albeit not that difficult to come to, that these people, Jaida and N'day were working in the same resistance as her brother. She had finally found people that could help her and yet she'd placed them all in danger, just from her stupidity.

"Idiot." 

"Well, I could have told you that."

She turned to see N'day standing next to her. She hadn't even heard him approaching, let alone noticed that he had ended up walking beside her. She looked ahead and didn't slow her pace. By that point they had entered the outskirts of the city's barrier, the edge of the protective bubble coming into view. They passed through the streets in silence, the children playing alongside them. The heat was almost unbearable, she didn't know how these people could stand it. 

_At least I'm not Sebecean, she thought wryly, __I guess it's just as well we all split up, Aeryn would never have survived a microt here. _

They walked on in companionable silence, allowing Chiana to take the time to look at the life outside the city. These people were too poor to afford housing within the city's protection and so were forced to live outside it, live like hostages in their own homes. The three suns beat down on these people 38 arns a day, 1029 days a cycle, their only reprieve coming once every 5 cycles when they got about 20 arns of darkness each day. She didn't know how they could bear it. These children were playing in the small window they found each day when the suns' wrath weren't so strong. 

"Chiana lets go back, we're getting too near the city."

She stopped and turned to him, "I really put you all in danger, didn't I?"

N'day sighed, "Yes, but part of it's my fault. We could have remained hidden, and you'd never have caught up with us. It would've been harder, but we could have done it."

"Why?" Chiana asked softly, "Why did you let me find you if it was so dangerous."

N'day stared at her for a moment, before looking away, "Because I'm selfish,"

"I don't understand."

He turned to face her again, "You're here because I wanted you here." Chiana smiled and he returned the gesture, clipping her across the head before turning away from the city. "Now come on back and I'll explain a few things."

They began to walk back to the underground bunker the resistance had taken over, the pace was quicker, both suddenly aware how close they were to the patrol boundaries. To her left a young girl and her friends were receiving a warning from a rather concerned mother. Chiana smiled as the mother brutally applied some protective lotion on the children's arms. She stopped walking. 

"Chi?" N'day stopped and turned to her, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"They weren't rotting."

"What?" he walked to her and gripped her arms forcing her to look at him. As she stared at him wide-eyed, he wished he'd let her look at the ground.

"In my vision, the bodies. They weren't rotting, they were burning. Dead children burning in the sun."

"I don't understand, Chiana, tell me what…"

"We've got to get them out of here, we have to get them inside." She began to panic, she could see her vision weakening from the light of the suns as they brought themselves back to full power. She was getting weaker by the microt, but she had to do something. The children…

From nowhere the shooting began. The blasts were soon so intermingled with the screaming that it became difficult to tell where one sound ended and the other began. The number of silent, unmoving bodies was increasing, each blast becoming more pronounced as the accompanying screams lessened. Chiana stared at the scene around her, watched as it played slowly before her eyes. They were everywhere and they were burning. The children were burning, and all Chiana could think was that they didn't have enough sun lotion on.

"Chiana!" In an instant everything around her returned to normal speed as she felt herself fall to the ground with a resounding thud. The body covering hers slid off and she turned onto her stomach, staring at the scene from ground level. Feet running, screaming to get away, the back of a small head, a broken pair of oculars, a child's toy, a face, staring at her with frantic eyes.

"N'day," she whispered softly as his eyes closed, "N'day, no please, no." she forced herself to remain still, the warning from her vision set in her mind, battling with the need to move over to him. He had saved her life, he had taken her death upon himself. She really had killed him. Tears began to worry at her eyes but she remained still. The screaming and gunfire had stopped, but she remained still. She would not let them win, the vision warned her that they would start firing again if she moved. She wasn't moving, she wouldn't move. Instead she stared at him, taking in every last detail and she did something she never thought she would do again. She prayed.

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

END PART 4 


End file.
